Method of making shoes



Feb. 12, 1946. H. s; LYNESS METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed March 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTTT In vem o r H 0 rc zh'o S'Lyness' Feb. 12, 1946. H..s. LYNESS' METHOD [OF MAKING SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29 1944 Invenibn ffo raz io S Lyn'ess Patented Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Horatio S. Lyness, Lynn, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application March 29, 1944, Serial No. 528,525 6 Claims. I (01. 1 z -142)' This invention relates to methods of making shoes and particularly to the making of shoes of the class known as pumps in which no part of the upper extends across the instep. 'I'he uppers of shoes of this type are frequently composed, at least in the iorepart, of material having a considerable capacity for stretching and have a French binding about the foot opening which consists of a strip or tape which is longitudinally elastic to permit the upper to stretch. One marginal portion of the tape is sewed to the outside of the upper adjacent to the foot opening, the free portion of the tape being then folded inwardly over the edge of the upper against its inner surface or the lining and secured to the upper.

by cross-stitching which permits considerable stretching of the tape and upper about the foot opening.

The proper lasting of such uppers is diflicult because, when tension is applied to the lasting allowance of the upper, there being no part of the upper extending over the instep portion, the upper may slip toward the bottom of the last, thus enlarging the foot opening and putting considerable material about the foot opening under tension.

When shoes lasted under these conditions are removed from the last, the material about the foot opening contracts and, when the shoe is put on the foot, the material about the foot opening may be again stretched, to the extent to which it was stretched when on the last or more, and may have no further stretch to ease the walking movements of the foot; at any rate, it will be too tight for the foot for which the shoe is intended.

Objects of this invention are to provide a method of making shoes which will prevent enlargement of the footopening during thelasting operation and which will produce a shoe with the proper shape and size of foot opening, with the elasticity of the upper in the region of the foot opening not only unimpaired but enhanced. Broadly, the method consists in temporarily attaching to the outside of the upper about the foot opening at least in that portion which is liable to be stretched in lasting, for example forwardly from the junction of the vamp with the quarters, an inextensible element, then lasting the upper and, at a later stage in the manufacture of the shoe, removing the inextensible element.

One simple and practical way of practising the method is to include under the cross-stitching by which the French binding tape is secured to the upper an inextensible cord, anchoring the ends of the cord to the upper, lasting the shoe in a usual manner, then releasing the ends of the cord and withdrawing it from under the cross-stitching. The removal of the cord from under the cross-stitching leaves the stitches of the crossstitch seam much looser than they would otherwise be, and hence the tape and the stretchable porticnsof the upper can stretch more freely than when cross-stitching is inserted in the usual way.

These and other aspects of the invention will appear more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an upper having a French binding which has been secured to the upper by cross-stitching, a cord being introduced through a guide on the presser foot of the sewing machine to cause the stitches to embrace the cord without penetrating it;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a lasted shoe showing the manner of securing the ends of the cord before the upper is lasted;

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective, partly in section, of parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a lasted shoe showing the ends of'the cord released and the cord being withdrawn; I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a planview of the completed shoe, the cord having been withdrawn and the shoe being still on the last.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the upper may consist of leather quarters I0 of usual construction, for example of leather with a lining, between which and the upper is a usual counter. The rear part of the upper is therefore relatively inextensible. The forward or vamp portion I2 of the upper may comprise an outer layer of leather backed by a layer of elastic material. That is, the vamp portion I 2 may be made of material such as that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,184,261, granted December 19, 1939, in the name of Arthur Vamos. The vamp l2 may be joined to the quarters by a seam M or, if desired, a full vamp may be used; that is, the vamp may include the quarters and extend to the back seam l6. 1 In that case, a usual relatively inextensible lining would be used rearwardly of the line H and only the forepart or vamp portion l2 would be hacked or lined with an elastic material.

In any case, the foot opening [8 of the upper is bound with a longitudinally extensible and elastic tape 20 by first sewing a marginal portion of the tape to the upper l2 by a seam 22 (Fig. 3) and folding the free portion of the tape 1 over the edge of the foot opening and laying it against'the inner face of the upper. To hold this portion of the tape in place cross-stitching 24 is inserted by a sewing machine the needle of which vibrates back and forth as the work is fed, giving the thread a zigzag form.

To carry out my method, .the ;pressor :081? 26 of the machine is provide with fa itubular guide 28 through which a small but strong and inexneedle that the needle passes down through the work first on one side of the cord and then on the other without touching the cord. Thus, the

cord is held upon the upper by the lthread of the zigzag seam 24.

Each end of the cord is anchored in place by bending it over the bound edge of the upper and placing over it a piece of Scotch tape 3-2 (Fig. 3) which will, of course, stick to the upper and the cord and hold the'c'ord to t'hefupper temporarily.

tensible cord 30 is fed in such relation to the 1 securing a stretchable tape about the foot openc ing by cross-stitching and at the same time in- 1 trod'ucing'an inextensible cord under the crossstitching, securing the ends of the cord to prevent enlargement of the foot opening, lasting the shoe, and subsequent to the lasting operation releasing the cord and withdrawing it from under the "cross-stitching.

and its lower marginal portion r tensionecl and worked over an insole in the usualmanner. -Dur- 'ing this operation the tension applied to the upper tends to -'draw the upper down over the conical 'surfaceof the last, especia'lly in the region "of the "throat-of the upper, thus enlarging the foot opening. When, h'miv'eveiy the stretchable portion about the if'oot opening is reinforced by the cord '3'!) as above explained, "any substantial enlargement of the foot opening during lastingv will be eiiectively revented. At anystage in the manufacture of "the s'hOe subsequent to lasting,

the pieces or Scotch tape "3 2 may be pulled on to release the ends "of the-cord and the cord may 3; That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in temporarily cross-stitchin'g to' the outer side of an extensible pumpupper about the foot opening an inextensible cord to maintain the normal size of the upper about the foot opening when'the upper is subjected tolastbe pulled from under-the stitches "24. This/may "be done by pulling 'on 'either "end of the "cord or by engaging an intermediate portion of "the-cord "with a hook 36 (Figs.4 and 5) and pulling forwardly 0f the shoe "on the cord. "The withdrawal of the cord 30 from beneath'thestitches 24 leaves the "stitches somewhat loose, thus enabling the elastic tape 20 to stretch more freely when the shoe is worn thus increasing the comfort-oi the 'shoe. Furthermore, 'sincethesho'e "was prevented from stretching during lasting, the shoe may be placed on the footwithout substantially "stretching the upper. Thus, all the elasticity which'the designer 'Of the-shoe intended it tohave is -'available to "ease the movements of the {foot in the action of walking. 7 c

Having thus described -my invention, What I claim'a's newand desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United S'tajtes is: r

1. "That improvement in methods-oi making pump shoes theuppers of which 'consist at least in part Eo'f stretchable material which consists in securing *astretchable tape about the foot open- "mg strains, then lasting the upper, and after the upper is lasted-releasing the inextensible cord.

4. That improvement in methods of making 'pumps'ha'vingrext'ensible u pers which arebou'nd :a b'out the'foot opening'with extensible tape crosss'titched to theup'per which consists in including under the cross-stitchingan inexten'sible cord arranged to prevent stretchingio'f the T001; opening, then lasting the upper, and after the lasting operation releasing the cord.

5. 'Tha't improvement in methods of -making shoes which consists in temporarily cross-stitching to the outer side of an-extensi'bleupper about r the upper is subjected to lasting strains, then lasting the upper, and subsequently removingthe inextensible cord to permit unrestricted stretch- 'ng "of the upper.

V the cross-stitching, securing the ends 'of the cord to prevent enlargement of the foot openingla'sting the shoe, and subsequent to the lastin'g operation releasing the 'cord 'and withdrawing it "from under the cross-stitching thereby vloosening the stitches to permit thetape 'to stretch 'more freely. 9.

HORA'I'IO S. LYNESS. 

